Arkansas is getting another backup quarterback on Saturday, and that alone is enough to set off alarm bells in Fayetteville.
For a program that has spent too many recent Saturdays getting burned by fill-in passers, Tulsa’s situation feels uncomfortably familiar. Baylor Hayes will not play, which means Dexter Williams II is back under center after starting last week against East Texas A&M. That kind of setup has not gone well for the Razorbacks in the past, and fans know the script by now.
The list of recent problems is hard to ignore. Last season, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss got his first Division I start against Arkansas and lit up the defense in Oxford.
The Ferris State product completed 21 of 29 passes for 353 yards and a touchdown, then added 62 rushing yards and two more scores. Arkansas also has bruises from Texas A&M backup Max Johnson, who beat the Razorbacks in both 2022 and 2023.
Go back to 2019, and there was Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden Jr., a wide receiver turned quarterback who carved up the Hogs on the ground.
That history is why this matchup drew attention the moment Tulsa ruled out Hayes. Even with Ryan Silverfield now leading the program and Ron Roberts coordinating the defense, the concern hasn’t gone away. The Hogs have seen this movie too many times.
Williams showed enough last week to keep Arkansas on alert. He went 14-of-26 for 164 yards and three touchdowns against East Texas A&M, and while he didn’t do much as a runner in that game, Tulsa head coach Tre Lamb said the Golden Hurricane would "need to run him" against the Razorbacks.
That’s the part Arkansas has to solve. Roberts pointed to Williams’ mobility on Tuesday and made it clear the staff sees him as more than just a spot starter.
"The backup that came in last week is a really athletic kid," Roberts said of Williams on Tuesday. "He’s been around a while.
He’s got a really talented arm and he did some improvising [Saturday], obviously made some really nice plays. And he’s athletic, he can run.
"So I don’t know how much quarterback designed runs we’ll see with him if the other guy’s hurt, but obviously he’s got some juice to him, too. He’s athletic, he’s a dual-threat guy."
That dual-threat element is exactly where Arkansas has been vulnerable before. Georgia’s Gunner Stockton ran for 97 yards against the Razorbacks and would have topped 100 without sacks. Utah’s Devon Dampier also hurt Arkansas on the ground, finishing with 49 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Williams didn’t fully settle in as a passer in his first start, but he’ll have another week of experience now, and Tulsa comes to Fayetteville with nothing to lose. For Arkansas, that means the challenge is bigger than just a backup quarterback. It’s another mobile quarterback, another offense willing to lean on him, and another chance to prove the defense can finally handle the exact kind of player that has caused so much trouble.
In Other News...
Arkansas Just Got A Roster Boost That Could Raise Its Ceiling
Arkansas picked up an encouraging roster development with freshman forward Miikka Muurinen being declared eligible to play in the 2026-27 season, according to a school spokesman. The news gives the Razorbacks another piece to factor into the long view of the program, especially with Muurinen arriving after time with Partizan KK and a background that has already hinted at a blend of athleticism and a smoother shooting touch in international play.
For a team that always wants to keep its ceiling as high as possible, adding a player with that kind of profile matters. Muurinens eligibility brings a little more clarity to Arkansas planning ahead of the upcoming season, and it also adds another reason for the Razorbacks to feel better about the talent base they are building. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Fans Already Have A Sam Silverfield Problem
The mood around Arkansas football has already turned sour this season, and the frustration is spilling well beyond the field. After a poor start, fans have responded with boycotts and protests, a sign that the disappointment is no longer just about one game or one bad stretch. The bigger concern is what the hire of Sam Silverfield says about where the program is headed, especially when supporters were hoping for a more established name such as James Franklin.
For Arkansas, the problem is bigger than a shaky opening month. The Razorbacks are not competing at an SEC level right now, and that puts added pressure on both the coach and athletic director to show the program can still attract talent, raise money and move in the right direction. Recruiting remains a challenge, financial support matters more than ever, and unless results come quickly, the noise around Silverfield is only going to get louder. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Fans Are Getting A Full Gameday Scene Before Tulsa
Before Arkansas takes on Tulsa on September 26, fans will have a full Saturday scene waiting for them at HogTown on Maple Street. The free pregame celebration begins four hours before kickoff and runs until 15 minutes before the game, turning the area into a gathering spot with live music, a pep rally, food trucks, family activities and appearances from the Razorback Spirit Squads, mascots and Marching Band.
The setup should make for one of those all-day campus-adjacent atmospheres that gives a home game a little extra lift before fans ever reach the stadium. Maple Street will be closed to traffic starting at 7:00 a.m. and staying that way until the conclusion of the second quarter, a sign that Arkansas is planning for plenty of foot traffic and a long runway into kickoff. [Read more 🡒]